Hello all, recently my wife of 32 years passed away after a long fight with cancer. It has been very difficult for me to think about what I should do next. One thing for sure, I now have too many toys and need to downsize.

I have a 1991 560SEL W126 and would like to sell it because I have one car too many. Paint and body and the interior all look great. The engine runs well and oil changes have been performed on time. The car has a totally rebuilt transmission done by the Fix Euro guys in Dallas (shout out to Freddie and Joe). The transmission shifts flawlessly. The tires have virtually no tread wear.

There are a few issues involving the need for a brake job and the suspension has some issues but I will go into all that if I list on the cars for cars for sale part of this forum.

Has anyone sold a car to either Carmax or a local car dealer? I was thinking perhaps the local mercedes dealer might be interested just to show the car on their show room but I don't know. Nothing like a pristine vintage W126 to create interest among car shoppers.

I am thinking that a vintage mercedes collector would be the perfect buyer for this time capsule. Your thoughts are appreciated as it helps me to make a better decision on what to do with this built-like-a-tank rolling piece of history.

Sorry to hear about your loss. If your 560SEL is low miles and like you're saying a "time capsule" I would try one of the auction sites like Bring A Trailer or Cars and Bids. It might be more work but will gives you the most for your 560SEL. Good luck.

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1979 Black on Black, 300CD (sold), 1990 Black 300SE, Silver 1989 Volvo 780, 1988 300CE (vanished by the hands of a girlfriend), 1992 300CE (Rescue).

Sorry for your loss.

I agree with Jorn and will add that a serious detail will payoff before advertising. Clean and polish it meticulously but don't overdo the slathered on high gloss dressings.

I did see a Chevrolet dealer put an older model on the showroom floor as an advertisement but I think society has changed and most people don't care much about vehicle longevity any longer.

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"Rudeness is a weak man's imitation of strength" - Eric Hoffer

Ditto on the serious detail. A few details, the front brake calipers are Bendix, the rear calipers are ATE. I have rebuild kits for the front calipers, a local rebuilder said he will rebuild them for $200 each side.

This car has something called "advanced skid control" that connects the rear brake calipers to the throttle. The dealer was kind enough to share the caliper part numbers:

Left side ATE: 1234200583

Right side ATE: 1234200683

Around $450 for new ATE calipers for the rear.

right now the brakes are inoperable because I removed the pads. Do you think it would be better to get the brakes operational before selling? I'm short on time right now but I do want to sell the car so your thoughts are appreciated.

The suspension also needs some work, the rear rides stiff, I've been told it could be the hydraulic self leveling valve but I'm not sure. That said there is no question the suspension needs attention.

So, if I list it on "Bring A Trailer" and with the brakes not operational at present, a trailer would be necessary.

the question is would it be better for me to go ahead and repair the brakes prior to selling it? Or, would a real vintage mercedes buyer see the potential and purchase this time capsule knowing that with some elbow grease she would be good as new?

Is the brake repair simply the installation of new pads? You will find more interest in your car, and it will definitely command a higher price, with working brakes.

Getting the brakes operational ? Definitely. Does it need all four new calipers?

If it rides hard in the rear but sits level it probably needs new spheres/accumulators. That I would be comfortable disclosing the SLS (Self Leveling Suspension) issue but not repairing it as some may want to eliminate the SLS and replace it with 420 SEL springs and shocks whilst others may want to have the SLS. The SLS is exquisite but can be costly to fix.

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"Rudeness is a weak man's imitation of strength" - Eric Hoffer

I feel fairly certain that installing new brake pads and brake hoses would work. That said, the car is over 30 years of age and I am a believer in upgrading components like brakes if possible. Since new rear ATE brake calipers are available for around $450 for the pair and the rebuilder is willing to do both front brakes for $200, it is a doable job.

I am thinking of listing on the Bring A Trailer website because I have run out of time. all this car needs is someone with good mechanical skills with time and a budget. I would expect with two to three weeks of work it would be back to being a very road worthy machine.

I'm not making excuses, I really am short on time winding my my deceased wife's affairs, trying to empty the house to get ready for sale etc etc. I feel like I need 10 friends, a truck and five mules to help wind all of it up.

And, after all is said, they don't make cars like this anymore.....

I am going to remove the rear wheels to see what I did to the brakes, it has been so long I can't remember. I do remember I purchased new brake rotors for all four corners. I will be able to see if I replaced the rotors or not.

I just did some research using NADA blue book values, auto trader classics and Hemmings. NADA blue book values say this:

Low Retail $4,950

Average $6300

High $9,000

Hemmings and Auto Trader 1988 to 1991 Mercedes Benz 560SEL prices range from $15,000 to $19,500 with various conditions and mileage.

It seems to me that NADA does not recognize collector car status pricing.

I am thinking of making money allowances for the A/C repair, brakes and suspension. Of course it always comes down to what a willing buyer is willing to pay a willing seller, right?

A car collector just shared with me that he believes Hemmings is the best place to list a car like this. He feels that Ebay Motors is not a good choice for anyone selling a car.

Sorry to hear about the loss of your wife.

What part of the country is the car located?

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Jim

Fix everything you can before listing if you want anywhere near those Hemmings values -- AC might be forgiven, but forget about it if the brakes are non op. Those values still seem high, but some real mint examples come across there.

Hemmings is the place to go if you want to target a collector market. I wouldnt bother with a dealer or carmax unless you just need it gone and are comfortable with 2-3k.

Also, sorry to hear about your wife -- my condolences.

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TC
Current stable:
- 2004 Mazda RALLYWANKEL
- 2007 Saturn sky redline
- 2004 Explorer...under surgery.

Past: 135i, GTI, 300E, 300SD, 300SD, Stealth

The car is located in Tulsa, Oklahoma. I checked the rear brake calipers yesterday, it appears the pads are installed. I will need to get the car in the garage and do some further investigation into the brake situation.


Before my wife became ill, I was in the process of dealing with the brakes on this car....there was so much that happened; my wife was in the hospital four times throughout the ordeal. I was juggling so many balls during that time frame....it all seems like a blur right now.


I am in the process of writing a book that will be in three ring binder format on how to properly screen for, prevent and treat pancreatic cancer. Right now, today, pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading case of all cancer deaths. It is scheduled to be the number one killer by the year 2030. Most people die within 90 days of diagnosis. My wife made it eight months.


I have her actual blood tumor marker tests reports in hand....she was an artificial aortic heart valve patient so her doctors ran regular blood tests checking her INR/PT times at least ONCE PER MONTH since 1993.


Since 1993, not one of her doctors ran or ordered regular cancer blood tumor marker tests that have been readily available since the early 1980s.


Instead of finding out about her cancer at Stage 0 or 1 which would have given us more options for treatment, we found out at Stage 3 or 4.

I just posted photos in the for sale section of this forum. Please feel free to PM me with comments, suggestions and the like.

I am starting to think about selling the Lincoln and keeping the 1991 560SEL. It is the better car. Only issue might be sourcing parts.....